Guides / Cacti

Cacti

Spined plants adapted to dry conditions.

Illustration of a prickly pear cactus

B

Bishop's Cap Cactus
Astrophytum myriostigma
How to grow bishop's cap cactus, Astrophytum myriostigma. It has no spines at all, propagates only from seed since it never offsets, and low light fades its silvery flecking to plain green.
Moderate
Bunny Ears Cactus
Opuntia microdasys
Practical guidance for growing bunny ears cactus, Opuntia microdasys, including glochid safety, paired pads, bright sun, dry roots, and mild toxicity.
EasySkin irritant

C

D

Dragon Fruit
Selenicereus undatus
How to grow dragon fruit, Selenicereus undatus. Why the flowers open after dark and fade by morning, forcing same-night hand pollination, the second plant many varieties need to fruit at all, and the forest habitat that makes this cactus prefer some shade.
Easy

G

Golden Barrel Cactus
Echinocactus grusonii
How to grow golden barrel cactus, Echinocactus grusonii. Its entire wild population was flooded by a dam in the 1990s, overwatering is the real risk rather than drought, and most never live long enough to flower.
Easy

M

Moon Cactus
Gymnocalycium mihanovichii
Practical guidance for growing moon cactus, Gymnocalycium mihanovichii, including grafts, rootstock lifespan, bright shaded light, dry soil, and non-toxic care.
Easy

O

Old Man Cactus
Cephalocereus senilis
Practical guidance for growing old man cactus, Cephalocereus senilis, including its protective hair, slow columnar growth, strong sun, dry roots, and non-toxic care.
Moderate

P

Prickly Pear Cactus
Opuntia ficus-indica
How to grow Opuntia ficus-indica. Why the invisible bristles are worse than the spines, how to prepare the pads and fruit, growing it in a cool climate, and the moth that saved Australia.
EasySkin irritant

S

Silver Torch Cactus
Cleistocactus strausii
How to grow silver torch cactus, Cleistocactus strausii. Its high-altitude Andean origin gives it a cold tolerance rare among cacti, strong sun keeps the spines dense rather than sparse, and a tall column can topple without a heavier pot.
Easy